LAWRENCE: Dominique Peters expected to lead LHS team

When Lawrence High School basketball player Dominique Peters watched film in the middle of last season, she noticed something.

By Jashvina Shah, Special Writer
   When Lawrence High School basketball player Dominique Peters watched film in the middle of last season, she noticed something.
   ”When I got the ball I would pass it right back or I would just lose the ball,” Peters said. “I realized I have to take care of the ball and dribble when I need to and not just pass it away to one of the seniors.”
   Peters knew she had to be more confident with the ball.
   And she was, contributing to Lawrence’s path to the Mercer County Tournament final.
   Peters finished the tournament with nine rebounds and 20 points. She led her team in scoring in the quarterfinals win against Allentown with 16 points.
   Peters started her freshman season with the varsity team without playing too many minutes. But Peters worked hard
   ”Not telling us but showing us that she deserves to be on the court and that’s what got her in a lot at the end of the season,” coach Dana Williams said. “She gave us no reason to pull her off you know so I was really proud of her for rising to the occasion. Whenever she got the opportunity to get in games she would give it everything she had.”
   It was the same story in a game against Hamilton last season, when Peters’ purpose was to keep Hamilton’s best scorer from putting up points.
   ”We put her in for her long wingspan to shut down their strongest player and she held her down. She really frustrated the kid and she worked her tail off,” Williams said. “You don’t really get the glory in that aspect of the game.
   ”Some kids wouldn’t really like that role, the dirty work role and no glory. But she went in there and she got the job done. We were able to win that game because she kept that kid from scoring. So just seeing that character in her, I think it’s phenomenal at her age.”
   Motivation is one of the best characteristics Williams sees in Peters, and it’s one of the reasons why the sophomore has been working out over the off-season.
   ”She was like, ‘Coach you have to feel this muscle,’” Williams said.
   When Peters joined Lawrence’s varsity girls basketball team, she struggled in practice. Williams said Peters was a little out of shape, making running with her 10 varsity teammates difficult.
   But that didn’t stop her.
   ”She would never pull herself off the court, even if she was dragging across the line in sprints, she would get them done,” Williams said.
   Lawrence will take the court this season without its five starters, all of whom graduated last year. Williams said she expects Peters to become one of the team leaders.
   ”She was a part of it last year,” Williams said. “It will be nice for her to be able to set the tone because she knows what it takes to be successful.”
   Peters said she wants to lead this season’s team with confidence.
   ”I hope to be the one to drive the ball more and drive the team,” Peters said. “If I can, get everyone pumped and ready.”
   Last season, Peters helped Lawrence to a 20-7 season, the program’s best record.
   ”She’s just like the kid that just won’t put the basketball down,” Williams said. “I’ve seen her grow drastically over this summer as well as become more of a point guard mentality as opposed to a shooting guard mentality.”